Podcast Summary: “An American Original”

Show: Criminal (Vox Media Podcast Network)
Host: Phoebe Judge
Date: January 30, 2026

Episode Overview

“An American Original” explores the elaborate, whimsical, and sometimes outrageous pranks and hoaxes designed by Allen Abel, a legendary satirist, and his wife Jean. Through interviews with Jean and their daughter Jenny, the episode tracks the origins, impact, and legacy of Abel’s most infamous stunts—ranging from the campaign to clothe animals to faking his own death—revealing how these playful deceptions became both a lifelong artistic pursuit and a family affair.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Society for Indecency to Naked Animals (SINA)

• Origins:
  • Inspired by witnessing cattle mating and people’s reactions, Allen Abel invented a fictitious campaign to cover animals with clothes.
  • “[Allen] started writing in his head. He started writing this story. And it was about an association of people who were going to make animals wear clothes.”
    — Jean Abel [05:30]
• Execution:
  • Allen sent letters, created pamphlets, and left them in motels and restaurants to spread the idea.
  • SINA was supposedly founded by “G. Clifford Prout, Jr.” (portrayed by future comedy legend Buck Henry), with a fabricated $400,000 inheritance.
• Public Reaction:
  • The media initially took the movement seriously, with stories in Newsday and The New York Times.
  • The “CINA clothemobile,” a vehicle to deliver animal clothes, was invented as part of the hoax.
  • “He pulled a large pair of pants out of his bag. They were for an elephant.”
    — Phoebe Judge [08:23]
• Picket at the White House:
  • Only Jean, Allen, and his doorman protested:
    • “It builds, it builds, it builds. Even though there are only three of us...it made all the newspapers.”
      — Jean Abel [09:36]
• Lasting Impact:
  • SINA was shut down after the IRS requested tax records for the fake inheritance, and Buck Henry was recognized during a Walter Cronkite interview, exposing the prank.
• Quote on the IRS:
  • “The Internal Revenue Service has no sense of humor.”
    — Allen Abel, via Associated Press (reported by Phoebe Judge) [13:15]

2. Yetta Bronstein: The Presidential Candidate Prank

• Creation of Yetta:
  • Jean, as Yetta Bronstein, a fictional Bronx housewife, launched a satirical presidential campaign (the “Best Party”), advocating for national bingo, a White House suggestion box, and opposing the Vietnam War.
  • “Allen later said they wanted to find out if, quote, America was ready for a Jewish mother in the White House.”
    — Phoebe Judge [17:05]
• Execution and Reception:
  • Jean gave radio interviews as Yetta (never TV, since she was young and “obviously older” as Yetta). Allen’s mother’s photo was used when needed.
  • “I never appeared because at the time I was still in my 20s and hardly a matron…”
    — Jean Abel [17:55]
  • The campaign achieved media attention but, as predicted, received no votes.

3. Pranks as Family Tradition

• Introducing Daughter Jenny:
  • Jenny grew up with her father’s antics, participating in staged events such as refusing to eat a “hair sandwich” on a talk show—Abel claimed it was a health food.
  • “We practiced together, but when the cameras were rolling, she refused to eat the fake sandwich.”
    — Phoebe Judge [20:15]
• The Caboose Adventure:
  • The family orchestrated the acquisition of an old train caboose as a backyard office, using Jenny’s ability to cry on cue to persuade the zoning commission.
  • “Nobody wants a crying kid in the room... they just appeased my dad and said, okay, okay, okay, you got the permit.”
    — Jenny Abel [21:13]

4. Other Notable Hoaxes

• Super Bowl Referee Prank (1983):
  • Abel sent fake referees and a police officer onto the field; the NFL confirmed the intrusion after public confusion.
• KKK Symphony Orchestra Hoax:
  • When David Duke was running for governor, Abel spread rumors of a “KKK symphony” to ridicule Duke and discredit him.
  • “He thought the KKK should be laughed at.”
    — Phoebe Judge [23:39]

5. Faking His Own Death: The Ultimate Prank

• Genesis:
  • After overhearing producers say his life story rights would be cheaper “if we wait around till he dies,” Abel set out to stage his own demise.
• Execution:
  • With help, staged a death at a Utah ski resort; the New York Times published his obituary on January 2, 1980.
  • “It was the first time in the newspaper’s history they had to retract an obituary.”
    — Phoebe Judge [29:31]
• Impact on Family:
  • Jenny, age 7, was told at school her father died, but suspected it was “another hoax.”
  • “I just played basketball with my dad. I don’t know what you’re talking about… I wasn’t really fazed because I think a part of me knew that it was another hoax.”
    — Jenny Abel [27:54]

6. The Abel Marriage and Legacy

• Reflection on Long Marriage:
  • “I guess I was tolerant for wanting. What was I gonna do? I love the guy. It was hard sometimes… but we just wanted to do our art together.”
    — Jean Abel [30:03], [30:45]
• Family & Influence:
  • The Abel approach to life prioritized creativity over money; their daughter continues to appreciate this legacy.

7. Allen Abel’s Final Days

• Allen’s Real Death (2018):
  • When Allen died at 94, the New York Times called to confirm he “was really dead.”
  • “It ran with the headline: ‘Allen Abel, Hoaxer Extraordinaire, Is (on Good Authority) Dead at 94’”
    — Phoebe Judge [32:42]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “A kick on the intellect is what he used to say.”
  — Jean Abel on Allen’s motivation [23:39]
• “Jenny and Jeff have been together for about 24 years… They have a son who Jenny says reminds her of her father.”
  — Phoebe Judge, on Allen’s matchmaking [31:57]
• “If he saw that obituary that the New York Times inevitably printed when he actually died, like, he wouldn’t believe—it was almost a full page.”
  — Jenny Abel [32:18]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – 02:30 | Introduction to SINA, the fake animal clothing campaign
• 05:30 – 07:24 | Buck Henry joins, SINA gets national attention
• 09:13 – 10:00 | The D.C. picket, public and media response
• 13:03 – 13:15 | SINA revealed as a hoax, the IRS gets involved
• 15:52 – 18:15 | Yetta Bronstein’s presidential campaign
• 19:32 – 21:13 | Jenny Abel reflects on childhood pranks
• 21:58 – 23:39 | Other hoaxes: the Super Bowl and KKK Symphony
• 25:56 – 29:31 | Faking his own death, New York Times obituary
• 32:06 – 32:42 | Allen Abel’s real death and legacy

Tone & Style

The episode is imbued with warmth, humor, and a sense of bemused admiration. Jean, Jenny, and Phoebe’s recollections retain the mischief and intelligence at the heart of Allen Abel’s life, holding onto the affectionate tone of a family remembering a brilliant, eccentric patriarch.

For listeners and readers alike, “An American Original” offers a heartfelt exploration of creativity, partnership, and the enduring power of a good prank.